


The Fort

by clarkjoekent



Series: Grandpa Shikaku AU [4]
Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Feels, Family Bonding, Gen, Grandpa Shikaku
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:07:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28495104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clarkjoekent/pseuds/clarkjoekent
Summary: Shikaku wakes up to the sound of giggling in his living room. Normally that sound would freak him out but, given the day, he was betting all his money that Shikadai was the one making the noise.
Relationships: Nara Shikadai & Nara Shikaku, Nara Shikadai & Nara Shikamaru, Nara Shikaku & Nara Shikamaru
Series: Grandpa Shikaku AU [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2083575
Kudos: 49





	The Fort

**Author's Note:**

> I have a fic that I promise! I didn't abandon with my Shikaku Lives AU. I might add this series into that fic canon bc they match up with the later parts. Like a side series to the main story I guess. 
> 
> I'm just really soft for the Nara family Bonding.

“Shikadai?” Shikaku padded into the living room and frowned at the state it was in. Furniture was moved around and blankets thrown over the tops. He assumed his grandson was in the mess but it wouldn’t be far from reality if Shikamaru had done it too. 

There was some shuffling and a yelp, something hit something else under the blankets before his grandson poked his head out the other side. 

“Grandpa.” 

“What is this?” Shikaku didn’t want to sound too upset over the state. He just had no idea what this was. 

“A blanket fort.” Shikadai had a huge smile on his face. “Daddy helped me make it. He’s in here too. Just asleep.” The kid rolled his eyes. 

The older Nara shook his head and sighed. “Why at our house and not your own?” 

“Not enough stuff to hold the blankets up yet. Mama and Grandma are out furniture shopping and Daddy brought me here.” 

Shikaku nodded and then left the room to get his morning coffee. He didn’t have the brainpower to process the sight in front of him. He can hear Shikadai rustle back under the blankets. Soon after Shikaku got his coffee there was a loud smacking sound and another yelp. This one sounded like Shikamaru. 

“Hey what was that for?” Shikamaru grumbled, clearly not upset that his son hit him. 

“You were snoring so loud I couldn’t hear my game.” 

“I thought we agreed to sleep in the fort.” 

“No, why would we sleep?” 

“You didn’t sleep at all last night and you promised.”

Shikaku was keenly aware of the exhaustion in his son’s voice. The six year old was stopping him from sleeping. The Nara remembered the days Shikamaru would refuse to sleep. Usually it was because he had found a good book or his imagination was firing off. Yoshino would stick him in their bed and fall back asleep almost instantly while Shikaku was left awake, to cater to his son’s active imagination or ridiculous questions. 

He also remembered not being around Shikamaru while he was a newborn, leaving Yoshino to do everything. The Nine-tails attack separated Shikaku and his son. 

He noticed the same of Shikamaru and Shikadai. 

When Shikadai was born Shikamaru was at Kakashi’s beck and call. Temari was called to Suna almost every week to take care of an issue Gaara and Kankuro hadn’t been able to solve. Shikadai spent most of his early years in the cradle near Shikaku and Yoshino’s bed. 

It was hard on the young parents, but it didn’t really bother Shikaku or Yoshino in the slightest. Even when the kids decided to stay in the Nara main house until Temari was certain her brothers could handle the Fourth War clean up and Shikamaru could settle into his new role as Jonin Commander. 

“I’m not tired though.” Shikadai mumbled. 

Shikaku drank the remainder of his coffee and then opted to join his son and grandson under the tent of blankets. He could usually get Shikadai to sleep after a story. 

He got down on his knees and opened the side Shikadai had poked his head out of. There were more pillows on the ground than Shikaku thought they had in the house. Shikadai was sitting next to the prone body of his father, his eyes focused on his video game. Shikamaru had his head resting on his arms, like he was fed up with being awake. 

Shikadai glanced up at Shikaku and giggled. “Are you gonna join us Grandpa?” 

Shikamaru looked up and laughed. “I can hear your knees crack from here old man.” 

The older Nara snorted and made it to the little huddle in a few paces. He flicked his son in the forehead for his remark. “You’ll be like me here in a few years.” 

Shikadai was delighted at his father getting told off, he stopped playing his game to observe the pair. 

“What are you playing?” Shikaku pointed to the still lit screen. 

“Oh! Battle Monsters! You have to collect little monsters and then battle them with other people. I don’t like the battle part. I only collect. Unless I  _ have _ to fight.” Shikadai moved his game so Shikaku can watch. It was colorful and easy to follow. 

“Like father, like son.” Shikaku laughed. “The Great Pacifists.” 

“Hey, I got the revenge I needed and that was it.” 

Shikadai paused his game and then looked at his father. “Whoa who did you kill?” 

“No one.”

“Sure does spook the deer though.” Shikaku muttered, he had to put a few seals around the grave Shikamaru had made because Hidan wouldn’t shut up.

Shikadai saved his game and then shut it off, not letting the conversation go. He tried to hide a little yawn as he climbed into Shikaku’s lap. “Why are the deer scared?” 

“Hey Dad, tell him how you got your scars.” Shikamaru wanted to change the subject, sidetracking his son. 

“Yeah! How did you get them?” Shikadai rested his head against his grandfather's chest and waited for the man to tell his story. 

“Well when I was a Genin I was assigned to a mission outside of Konoha with my team.” Shikaku pursed his lips, trying to remember all the details. 

“Who was on your team?” 

“Inoichi, Choza, and the White Fang.” Shikamaru said as he rolled on his side and propped his head up with his arm. 

“Who is the White Fang?” Shikadai’s eyes lit up at the name. In his defense it was a cool nickname if you were on the man’s good side. 

“Lord Sixth’s father.” Shikaku remembered the early days of InoShikaCho and the tanto wielding speed demon. He was feared but if you were close to him, Sakumo was a timid man with a huge heart. “He died before Shikamaru was born.” 

“Aw no that sucks.” Shikadai went back to resting on his grandfather. 

Shikamaru shrugged. “I’ve heard enough stories to get a solid idea of his character.”

“It was an S-rank mission. We had to find a band of missing nin, capture them, and turn them in.” Shikaku switched the conversation back to his story. It hurt to remember his teacher. 

“So you fought them?” Shikadai asked through another yawn. 

“No, I was told to stay back and use the Nara clan shadow jutsu to restrain them while Inoichi, Choza, and Sakumo-sensei chased them down.” Shikaku began rocking a little to soothe Shikadai, the kids' eyelids already getting heavy. “Unfortunately someone had broken through and attacked me with kunai.” 

“That sounds like it hurt.” There was humor in Shikamaru’s tone, his father chose to ignore it. 

“When we got back to the village I was told that the wounds would scar. Inoichi was jealous.” 

“The scars do make you look tough. Too bad you don’t scare me.” Shikadai nuzzled into Shikaku. 

“Yeah, your Grandpa is a teddy bear.” Shikamaru snorted and rolled onto his back. Shikadai melted into his grandfather’s arms, a sign the kid was falling fast asleep.

Shikadai let Shikaku lay him on a few soft pillows, he wrapped the kid up in his favorite green blanket. He was fast asleep by the time Shikaku made his own little bed. 

“When are you going to tell him how you really got the scars?” Shikamaru looked at his father with a smirk. 

“You weren’t there. That cat was evil.” Shikaku huffed. The memory of Inoichi throwing the angry cat in his direction still haunts him. “I have nightmares.” 

“No cat is evil.” 

“That cat and your fucking uncle are.” Shikaku flicked his son again this time harder. He left a red mark on his forehead. It didn’t stop his son from laughing.

“Thanks for getting him to sleep. I owe you one.” 

“No, it’s fine. I love that little shit. He’s just like you.” 

“He has nightmares all the time. Should I talk to Ino?” Shikamaru whispered, concern in his voice. 

“If you want. What are they about?” 

“Some older kid he was talking to at the park told him about a wild mission where his teacher died. It was a lie so he could look cool but Shikadai got scared and came home crying. Worried Temari and I were going to die.” 

Shikaku sighed. “When you were a kid you came home after a brutal class and cried about missions and bad people. You didn’t understand why people killed others. I had to sit you down and explain that people are just evil.” 

“You also told me that you survived a war and you know better than to die from something stupid.” 

“And here we are, I survived two wars and you survived one. Hopefully Shikadai won’t have to tell his kid that same line.” 

Shikamaru got quiet. Shikaku thought his son had fallen asleep but when he looked Shikamaru was rubbing his thumb on the back of Shikadai’s hand. 

“Temari told him that the nations have all gotten together and joined in an alliance so we have people who can watch our backs from all villages. He told her he doesn’t want to be a shinobi.” 

“Good let him have a choice. Give him a life we all wished we had. Support him.” Shikaku wasn’t surprised that Shikadai would opt out. “Just keep him away from politics.” 

Shikamaru let out a puff of laughter. “I will.” Another long beat of silence before Shikamaru spoke again. “I love you Dad.” 

“I love you too Shikamaru.” Shikaku smiled. Every morning that he wakes up alive and well, he thanks Minato and Kakashi for their quick thinking that kept him alive, to be able to have moments like this with his son. 

Soon the older Nara heard Shikamaru’s quiet snores and he decided he deserved a nap too. He wasn’t looking forward to Temari and Yoshino coming home to this mess but hopefully the boys will wake up and help clean. They were the ones that made the mess. 

Not that Shikaku cared really. He wanted a better life for Shikadai. Both Shikaku and Shikamaru lost their childhoods fighting a battle the previous generation should’ve taken care of. Shikadai was part of the first generation in Konoha that didn’t have to fight. They had a choice to be whoever they wanted and to do what they pleased without the fear of death hanging over them. 

If Shikadai wanted to build forts in his living room then he'd let him. 

Shikaku felt someone move and wiggle under his blankets. Shikadai climbed on top of his grandfather, curling up on the older man’s torso.

“I’m cold.” Shikadai pulled the blanket up and buried his face in his chest.

“Hello Cold. I’m Grandpa.” Shikaku let out a quiet laugh. The joke earned a low groan and a displeased look. “You aren’t going to get much heat out of me.” 

“That’s okay. I just need a little bit.” 

“Of course.” Shikaku rested his hand on Shikadai’s back and waited until the kid was once again asleep before kissing the top of his grandson’s head. 

As long as Shikaku is breathing, he’ll make sure Shikadai can be a kid while he can. 

**Author's Note:**

> I tried looking up the game Boruto and Shikadai are playing in the anime but nothing came up. So you got a knock off of pokemon instead. I also only collected and I hated the battles.


End file.
